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The Amazon
Rainforest
The world's ancient forests are in trouble. Only one fifth of original
forest cover globally remains in large tracts, and almost half of that is
under threat from activities such as mining, agriculture and, most
importantly, commercial logging.
The Amazon Rainforest, also known as the Amazon Jungle, is located in
South America in an area known as the Amazon River basin.
The Amazon Rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world and makes
up about half of the planet’s rainforest space.
According to scientists, the Amazon Jungle was created millions of years
ago when the Amazon River changed direction.
The Amazon Rainforest is also one of the world’s largest eco-systems,
containing one of the most diverse array of species on Earth.
The forest floor
The rainforest floor is not crowded. It is often dark and humid due to
constant shade from the canopy’s leaves. Despite its constant shade, the
rainforest floor is an important part of the forest ecosystem.
The forest floor is where decomposition
takes place. Decomposition is the process
by which fungi and microorganisms break
down dead plants and animals and recycle
essential materials and nutrients.
There are many different animals and
plants that live on the forest floor.
Plants of
the forest floor.
Plants of the forest floor
Saprophytes are the organisms
that act as the rainforests
decomposers. Many
saprotrophs are so small, called
microbes, that they cannot be
seen with the naked eye.
Buttressed roots,
grow out from the
base of the trunk
sometimes as high
as 15 ft above the
ground.
Epiphytes, or air plants,
grow everywhere but can
be found mainly on the
branches, trunks, and
even the leaves of trees.
Bromeliads have
thick waxy leaves
which form a bowl
shape in the centre
for catching
rainwater.
Strangler trees use another tree to grow around.
The seed is dropped from animals. It grows quickly
and suffocates the host tree leaving a tall upright
strangler which is hollow in the middle. Most
stranglers are members of the fig family.
Plants of the forest floor
Lianas are a type of climbing
vine found throughout tropical
rainforests.
Orchids comprise one of
the most abundant and
varied of flowering plant
families. There are over
20,000 known species
Carnivorous plants are adapted
to obtain nutrients from animal
matter. The best known of these
is probably the Venus fly trap,
but more impressive is the
pitcher plant Nepenthes
rafflesiana, found in southeast
Asia. This plant grows to 30 feet
tall and may have pitchers 12
inches in length, usually crammed
full of digested insects.
Mangroves grow in
wet, muddy soil at the
water's edge which
can be subject to
tides and flooding.
Animals of
the forest floor.
Scorpions prey on insects and some
other small animals. The have two
venom glans used for hinting and self
defence. Their “sting” is on the tip of
their tail.
Anteaters a mostly solemn
animals . They use their long
curved claws to rip open ant and
termite nets. Their tongue
extends to a length greater than
their head.
Tapirs look something like
pigs with trunks, but they
are actually related to
horses and rhinoceroses
they are a large
herbivorous mammal.
Army ants are aggressive and are
predators for many living things.
They use their mandibles to slice
their prey. While doing this they
spread a dissolving acid which melts
the muscles and tendons. The ants
eat everything that does not run or
fly away in time.
The Arapaima is native to
the Amazon Basin. They are the
largest freshwater fish of South
America, and among the largest
freshwater fish in the world. The diet
of the arapaima consists of
fish, crustaceans, and even small land
animals that walk near the shore.
The Matamata is a large,
sedentary turtle with a
large, triangular,
flattened head. It lives in
fresh water and is a
carnivorous being. It eats
small fish.
Caiman’s have a narrower body than
alligators and crocodiles. They live
only in the Central and South
America in swampy mangrove areas.
The caiman is carnivorous it eats
mainly fish but sometimes hunts
small mammals, birds and insects.
Piranha’s are known for their
sharp teeth, powerful jaws, and
uncontrollable appetite for meat.
Piranhas are indigenous to
the Amazon basin. Piranhas are
vicious and have been known to
attack humans. There have been
deaths related to this.
Their teeth are used by natives
to make tools and are also a food
source.
The Jaguar is the third-largest feline This spotted cat
most closely resembles the leopard physically, although it is
usually larger and of sturdier build and its behavioural and
habitat characteristics are closer to those of the
tiger. The jaguar enjoys swimming and usually lives near
water. It is at the top of the food chain and preys on
animals such as adult caimans, deer, tapirs, dog and
sometimes even anacondas. They also eat small creatures
such as frogs, mice, birds, sloths, monkeys as well as some
other animals.
An Anaconda is the largest snake
in the world and is found in
tropical South America.
Anacondas can reach 30 feet
long. They can stay under water
for 10 minutes. They eat a range
of things such as turtles, fish,
pigs jaguar and deer, along with a
range of other things.
The Understory
The Understory
The understory is hot, damp, and the air is still. This part of the rainforest
is under the leaves but above the ground. The understory is a tangle of
shrubs, young trees, palms and woody plants that can grown in the shade of
the taller trees.
There is a small amount of light within the understory. The leaves of many
of the plants are very large, so that they can absorb or soak in as much
sunlight as possible. The plants in this layer of
the forest hardly ever grow higher than
twelve feet. Many houseplants are found in
this part of the rainforest, these plants
can live in your living room as well as the
understory because both places get little
sunlight.
Plants of
the understory
Philodendrons are a
common house plant but
are also found widely in
the rainforest. They are
a flowering plant with
large leaves and can come
in a variety of shapes,
sizes and colours.
Prayer Plants have small
flowers clustered
leaves which are flat
during the day and they
are folded and stand up
right at night. There
are a number of
different species and
the leaf patterns vary.
Zebra Plants are native
to Brazil. They grow
into up right shrubs.
They need medium light
to grow well which is
why the understory is a
perfect environment
for them. They rarely
flower but with
prolonged light they
can.
Peace Lilies are an
evergreen plant with
large leaves. They do
not need a lot of water
or sunlight to survive.
While it is pretty, the
peace lily can be toxic
to humans and animals
if ingested. It can also
cause skin irritation.
Animals of
the understory
Poison dart frogs can be
blue, yellow, red or green.
Their colours warn
predators away. One touch
of their skin can kill.
The Green Tree Boa is a
non venomous snake and
feeds mainly on small
mammals. They have slow
metabolisms which means
they can go several months
without eating.
The Boa Constrictor is not
venomous but it is just as deadly,
as it will wait for its prey and
ambush it. It will first strike at
the prey, grabbing it with its
teeth; it then proceeds to
constrict the animal until it is
dead. The Boa Constrictor comes
in many colour variations’ but it is
highly distinctive.
Fruit Bats can also be referred
to as Flying Foxes. These bats
have large eyes and they also
have excellent vision. They do
not eat fruit as such, they will
crush the fruit with their sharp
teeth and consume the nectar.
The Kinkajou also know as
the honey bear are
omnivorous which means
they can eat meat and
plant products, however
they mainly eat fruit and
plants.
The Margay is a small cat
native to Central and South
America and is listed as near
threatened. This cat eats
small mammals (sometimes
including monkeys), birds, eggs,
lizards and tree frogs. They
prefer to spend most of their
life in the trees, but also
travel across the ground,
especially when moving
between hunting areas
Blue tailed Iguanas can grow
between 4 and 7 feet in length
and are one of the rarest lizards
in the world. They eat mainly
leaves, fruit, and flowers, but
occasionally insects, eggs or small
vertebrates.
Spider monkeys live in the
tropical rain forests of Central
and South America. They find
food in the treetops and feast on
nuts, fruits, leaves, bird eggs, and
spiders. They can be noisy animals
and often communicate with many
calls, screeches, barks, and other
sounds.
Coatimundi’s are omnivores
and can live off meat and
plant products, They are
found in North and South
America and are related to
the raccoon. They are great
climbers which is why they
are often found in the under
story.
The Canopy
The Canopy
The trees in this layer can grow as high as 100 feet. They form a green roof over the forest below. This
roof is like an umbrella or canopy. The canopy is the busiest part of the rainforest. The leaves, flowers
and fruit that grow there provide food for monkeys, birds, insects and
other animals.
The canopy protects the ground from the sun and light rain. Very heavy rains
will get to the ground. Some animals up there never go to the forest floor.
Many butterflies, and birds live in the canopy.
Many of the leaves on the plants in the canopy are pointed, so that the
rain can run off the tips of the leaves. These drip tips keep the leaves dry
and free of mould.
It is very hard to study the rainforest canopy, because it's so hard to reach.
So scientists have built walkways up in the trees so that they can just walk
around up there.
Animals of the
Canopy
The Golden Lion Tamarin
lives in South America and is
an endangered species due to
logging and deforestation on
Brazil’s Atlantic coast. Golden
lions live primarily in the
trees. They sleep in hollows at
night and forage by day while
traveling from branch to
branch. Long fingers help
them stay high and they eat
things such as insects, fruit,
lizards, and birds.
Howler Monkeys are found in
tropical Central and South
America. They can use their tail
as an extra arm to grip or even
hang from branches, this is often
helpful as they rarely leave the
canopy. They eat primarily fruit
and nuts and their good senses
can smell food from almost 2km
away.
Sloths are classified as folivores
(eating from specific trees), as
the bulk of their diets consist of
buds, tender shoots, and leaves.
Sloths are found primarily in
South America and are less likely
to survive outside of this area.
Sloths' claws serve as their only
natural defence. Despite sloths'
apparent defencelessness,
predators do not pose special
problems: sloths blend in with the
trees and their slow movement
does not attract attention.
Woolly Monkeys originate from
the rainforests of South
America. They most often live in
the high tops of the canopy.
Woolly monkey diets consist of
fruit with an addition of leaves,
seeds, flowers and insects.
Toucans are native to Southern Mexico,
Central America, the northern portion of
South America, and the Caribbean region.
They generally live in tropical. They make
their nests in tree hollows and holes made
by other animals such as woodpeckers—the
toucan bill has very limited use as an
excavation tool. Toucans are
primarily frugivorous (fruit eating), but will
sometimes hunt prey such as insects and
small lizards.
The pygmy marmoset is native to rainforests
of South America. It is the smallest monkey
and one of the smallest primates in the
world. This monkey has a specialised diet of
tree gum. It gnaws holes in the bark of
appropriate trees and vines When the sap
puddles up in the hole, it laps it up with its
tongue. It also waits for insects, especially
butterflies, which are attracted to the sap
holes. It also eats fruit and nectar.
The Emergent
Layer
The Emergent Layer
Only a few very tall trees break through the canopy into the emergent layer. These trees can be as
tall as skyscrapers. The tops of the trees are shaped like umbrellas and they grow on long, thin
trunks.
These trees get the most sunlight but also have to put up with the hot sun and strong winds.
Because these trees are out in the open, they often have thick, waxy leaves that protect them
from the sun and the wind.
Many animals that live in the emergent layer are also
found in the canopy.
Animals of the
Emergent Layer
Macaws are native to Central
America (especially Mexico), South
America, and formerly
the Caribbean. Most species are
associated with forests,
especially rainforests, but others
prefer woodland or savannah-like
habitats. The majority of Macaws
are now endangered in the wild and
a few are extinct. Macaws eat a
variety of foods including seeds,
nuts, fruits, palm fruits, leaves,
flowers, and stems.
The Harpy Eagle is rare but can be found
from Mexico (almost extinct), through Central
America and into South America to as far south
as Argentina but is most common in Brazil. The
Harpy Eagle is an actively hunting carnivore and
is an apex predator, meaning that adults are at
the top of a food chain and have no natural
predators. Its main prey are tree-living mammals
and a most of their diet has been shown to focus
on sloths and monkey but can also prey on larger
animals. They have a wing span of between
5’9ft up to 7’4.
There are many other animals
that live in the rainforest.
Logging and deforestation are
playing a large part in a number
of species becoming endangered
or extinct.
Lovebirds originated in Africa
but can be found in many
places. Wild lovebirds are
mostly green with a variety of
colours on their upper body.
There are nine species of
lovebirds and their colours and
markings vary. Love birds eat a
range of leaves, seeds, nuts
and grains.
The Blue-headed Parrot is
mainly green with a blue head
and neck and red under tail
feathers. Its habitat is forest
and semi-open country but is
more likely to be found in
tropical areas. They mainly eat
fruit and seeds.
Butterflies are abundant in
the Amazon rainforest and
there are too many species
to identify each individual.
They come in a variety of
colours and they often find
ways to blend in to the
environment that surrounds
them.
Why is the Amazon important?
Lets have a look at the following conservation website to
see the impact humans have had on the Amazon basin.
http://www.conservation.org/where/pages/amazonia.aspx?
gclid=Cj0KEQiAkJyjBRClorTki_7Zx8QBEiQAcqwGMTL2bL
vXjC9eWsZga6VPYxpy0KjHeaofA2qxoLRWq6waAkGK8P8
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But first, what is conservation?
Conservation is the action of conserving something and
preventing loss.